All Dolled Up: The Barbie Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
2 min
All Dolled Up: The Barbie Quiz
Image: © Britta Pedersen/dpa/Corbis

About This Quiz

Much more than a simple toy, Barbie is the inspirational career woman who teaches girls they can do anything — while showing off a figure that's pure fantasy. Take our quiz to test your knowledge of Barbie's history, triumphs and controversies.
What year did Barbie first hit store shelves?
1949
1959
1969
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Creator Ruth Handler released the first Barbie doll, which was named after her daughter, in 1959.

How many Barbie dolls did Mattel sell during the first year of the doll's release?
100,000
200,000
300,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mattel sold a whopping 300,000 dolls that first year at $3 a piece. Not bad for a time when the average annual wage was just $5,000.

What did the first Barbie dolls wear?
swimsuit
ball gown
blue jeans
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first Barbie was marketed as a teenage fashion model and came clothed in a stylish black and white swimsuit.

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True or false: The earliest Barbie dolls all had blond hair.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In Barbie's earliest years, she was available as both a blond and a brunette. In 1961 a red-haired model was added to the mix.

What is Barbie's last name?
Roberts
Carson
Handler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie Millicent Roberts grew up in the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin. Incidentally, Ken has a last name too: Carson.

What was unique about Barbie's eyes when she was first introduced?
They could open and close.
They gazed to the side.
They were free of makeup.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The earliest Barbie's eyes were demurely directed to the side. It wasn't until the Malibu Barbie in 1971 that Barbie's eyes faced forward.

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What was the name of Barbie's 1986 band?
Barbie and the Dolls
Barbie and the Rockers
Barbie and the Misfits
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rocker Barbie was the lead singer of Barbie and the Rockers, a band influenced by the big hair and wild style of the '80s generation.

Which of the following is NOT one of Barbie's sisters?
Skipper
Stacie
Midge
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

According to the official Barbie website, Barbie has three sisters: Skipper, Stacie and Chelsea. Midge is her best friend, but the two are unrelated.

What year did Barbie and Ken break up?
1961
1979
2004
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After 43 wonderful years together (without a wedding), Barbie and Ken split in 2004. They got back together in 2011.

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True or false: Barbie was inspired by a risque gentlemen's doll from Europe.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ruth Handler picked up several copies of the Bild Lilli doll on a trip to Europe and used them as a model for Barbie. Bild Lilli was a pinup-style doll sold at bars and tobacco shops as a gag-gift for men.

What was the name of Barbie's friend who used a wheelchair?
Skipper
Becky
Francie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Share a Smile Becky was released in 1997 and came complete with a wheelchair. While it was nice in theory, some buyers complained that the chair wouldn't actually fit in the elevator at Barbie's Dream House.

True or false: Barbie went to the moon before Neil Armstrong.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first Astronaut Barbie came out in 1965, four years before Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins made their famous moon landing.

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How many careers has Barbie had since her release?
around 50
around 100
more than 180
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie has had more than 180 careers, from dog walker to surgeon. Not bad for a high school grad from Wisconsin.

How many Barbie dolls would you need to make it into the "Guinness Book of World Records"?
1,000
15,000
150,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

World-record holder Bettina Dorfmann is the proud owner of more than 15,000 dolls, the world's largest collection. She also runs a doll hospital to repair broken Barbies.

What is the best-selling Barbie doll of all time?
the original teen fashion model Barbie
Doctor Barbie
Totally Hair Barbie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Totally Hair Barbie, in all her '90s glory, is the best-selling Barbie of all time. Her hair measures 10.5 inches (26.7 centimeters), which is pretty long for a doll that's only 11.5 inches tall.

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What was the name of Barbie's dog, which came with its very own magnetic pooper-scooper for easy cleanup?
Rocker
Tanner
Scout
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie and Tanner were released in 2006 but recalled just a year later when the magnets used in the pooper scooper started coming lose, posing a choking hazard for kids.

Where can you find a Barbie-themed cafe?
Taipei, Taiwan
Tokyo
New York City
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2013 Taipei launched a Barbie-themed cafe with tables shaped like high-heeled shoes and plenty of pink.

True or false: A mint-condition 1959 Barbie sold at auction for more than $27,000 in 2006.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Check your attics and basements — the original Barbie can be worth five figures to the right collector.

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What type of animal was Barbie's first pet?
horse
cat
bird
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie's first pet was a beautiful chestnut horse named Dancer that was released in 1971.

True or false: Barbie graced the cover of the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue in 2014.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Clad in her iconic black-and-white striped suit, Barbie graced the cover of the "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit edition in 2014 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the magazine.

When did Mattel introduce the Ken doll?
1959
1961
1969
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ken came out in 1961, two years after Barbie. He was named after Ruth Handler's son, which makes the real-life Barbie and Ken brother and sister.

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Who did Barbie date after splitting with Ken in 2004?
Blaine
Luke
Clark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

After her split from Ken, Barbie had a fling with Blaine, a tanned Australian surfer.

Why was the Midge doll pulled from stores in 2002?
She was pregnant.
People considered her appearance racially offensive.
She was inspired by a mass murderer.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 2002 Happy Family Midge doll came with a removable stomach and newborn baby. After parents complained, Wal-Mart and other retailers pulled the doll from shelves.

When did Barbie first get bendable legs?
1964
1974
1984
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie got bendable legs and eyes that actually open and close in 1964.

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True or false: If Barbie were a real person, her measurements would be around the same as those of the average American woman.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie would have a 39-inch bust, 18-inch waist and 33-inch hips, far from the American average.

How old is the average Barbie collector?
4 years old
8 years old
40 years old
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The average Barbie collector is a 40-year old woman who buys 20 dolls a year, proving Barbie isn't just for kids anymore.

When did Barbie get her belly button?
1959
2000
2015
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Barbie was navel-free until Jewel Girl Barbie came out in 2000. This doll features a more athletic build than the traditional Barbie, complete with a flexible waist and a belly button.

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True or false: There has never been a Barbie with tattoos.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 2009 Totally Stylin' Tattoos Barbie faced plenty of controversy. A year earlier, parents complained about a Harley Davidson-themed doll with a giant tattoo on its back.

What feature did Barbie finally get in 2015?
eyes that open and close
adjustable ankles
a bendable waist
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Since Barbie got adjustable ankles in 2015, she is no longer a slave to high heels.

How many Barbie dolls has Mattel sold since 1959?
100 million
500 million
1 billion
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mattel has sold more than a billion Barbies since the doll was introduced. The company maintains sales of around a billion dollars annually, which proves that love for Barbie is still going strong.

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© Britta Pedersen/dpa/Corbis